IN THE CASE OF SUCCESS. 275 



on an intercourse with the Pacific Ocean, the importance of 

 Disko becomes incalculably great. 



When viewed in this regard, and its facilities duly con- 

 sidered, it will be evident that the earliest opportunity 

 should be taken to secure the possession of a place of 

 such importance to the British interests. In fact a due 

 regard for the concerns of expected commerce with the 

 Indian nations by the northern route, will demand the 

 possession of that particular station for the proper pro- 

 tection of that commerce, as it may be confidently asserted 

 that both the American, and the Russian commerce will 

 be pushed into the Indian seas by the same course, and 

 a rivalry of trade will be among the consequences. The 

 dignity of the crown and of the nation is moreover 

 deeply concerned, not to suffer the national honour to be 

 compromised or insulted, to both which evils that honour 

 is exposed, unless such a station as Disko is secured, for 

 no other place in Davis's Strait so well suits that object. 



The Danish government, crippled by the late naval war, 

 was unable to extend her protection, even if so inclined, 

 to her Greenland subjects. This was evident in a pro- 

 ceeding which was little creditable to the assailants. The 

 master of one of the whale ships, in the course of the war, 

 not having had success in his voyage, landed at one of 

 those miserable settlements, and plundered the people of 

 whatever oil, blubber, whale-bone, or skins, they possessed, 



